posted January 14, 201412:25 PM
Would there be any hatrack interest in starting a play-by-post online campaign using Dnd 3.5?

I havent DMed before, but wouldn't mind trying if no else wants to. Looking for about 4-5 players for the party. We would use one of the gaming forums over at Sake River. I hope to expect several posts a week, to keep things moving.

If there is enough interest and shown commitment, we can start talking about making characters and other house rules and whatnot.

If you haven't played online DND before, please don't feel like you can't participate. I am currently a player in another campaign, if you want to check it out go to sakeriver and find Noema Campaign to take a glance around of how I would run the game.

posted January 14, 201412:40 PM
Skype would be a cool idea, and maybe that could be added at a later point. I just know it would be hard to find a mutual time to get everyone together, especially with my current schedule of a job and a half and a toddler at home. I would prefer to get started on a forum, and everyone can kind of ease in to the pattern.

That is a cool dice roller. I know half of the fun is rolling dice, but as a player, I actually enjoy the fact that the DM handles ALL rolls. In my opinion it keeps everyone honest. And if you can't trust the DM, you shouldn't bother playing anyway.

Google drive is a great idea.

Also to note, I have no material planned yet, just wanted to gauge any interest first.
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posted January 14, 201404:47 PM
I might be interested in a play-by-post game over at sake, depending on the campaign idea [Edit - ie depending on whether or not I can come up with an interesting character that would fit in the gameworld]. Good luck getting the admin over there to set up a forum for you, though; that guy's a jerk.
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posted January 14, 201409:15 PM
I play in a weekly game using Google Hangout and Maptools and Obsidian Portal. It's a pretty good way to go if you're wanting the old face-to-face experience.

That said, I'm definitely out if this game goes that way; it soaks up enough time that I can't really justify being involved in more than one live game at the moment.
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posted January 15, 201412:44 AM
Have you considered Pathfinder? They have all their Core Books linked for free on their website. And their play-by-posts seem to work out.

I have never tried pbp, but I have been in a regular bi-monthly group for years.

If you know 3.5 then I am sure you are familiar with Pathfinder, and I would be interested in that campaign.

For those not in the know, when DnD went to 4.0 they left the 3.5 rules in the OGL (open gaming license) and Paizo reworked and polished the 3.5 rules and fixed a lot of stuff (like combat maneuvers and polymorph spells). It is the spiritual successor to 3.5 and is often referred to 3.75.

Before this, Paizo mostly just did campaigns and adventure paths for 3.5.

4.0 changed the rules so dramatically that Pathfinder got a huge and active fan base. Some people in my group have moved away, so we are talking about using Roll20 to keep our original group in touch.

I would love to try that or Obsidian Portal out with a group.

EDIT: I would be happy to use Sake instead of Paizo's forums. I only mentioned it to show that play style works just as good in Pathfinder.

posted January 15, 201402:58 PM
Hi! I realized when I saw your PM that you hadn't realized that I was the same Jake. I'm not a definite for this one--it'll depend on whether or not I can come up with a character concept that seems to me like it'd be fun, and would work in the campaign. I'm hopeful that I'll be able to come up with something, but I've declined to play in games before due to not coming up with a fun-for-me character that works in the world. If there is someone who would like to play who isn't alrady in a game, I would certainly defer to them if there aren't enough spots.
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posted January 15, 201404:19 PM
I am totally in. I can do 3.5, but I need you to give me the links for material online, as I have replaced all my books. All of Pathfinder's books are found here.

That being said, I am appealing to the group to try Pathfinder. Going back to 3.5 would seem like a giant step backwards. The learning curve is not that great, especially since most changes make the game run smoother. When we converted over in my group, the first session was a series of "Of course! This makes since. Why did we ever do it differently?"

Let me give you the breakdown of the very basic changes to help you decide.

The first book is the Core. The Core is the equivalent of both the DM Handbook and the Players Handbook. It is a massive book. Coupled with the first Beastiary (Monster Manual) you have a complete game for all players.

Noticeable changes:

All special maneuvers like grapple and trip use a simplified system. Each character has a Combat Bonus and a Combat Defense (which acts like an AC against maneuvers). For any combat maneuver, you make a d20 roll and add your CMB and try to overcome the opponents CMD. That's it! One roll. Nothing opposed. Clean.

Skills have been condensed. Spot and Search are now Perception. A few other skills are combined. There are no longer 1/2 skill points nor do you get x times number of skills at first level. Every skill point put in a skill is utilized by any class fully. You can only put in as many ranks as your character level.

At level one you only get your normal amount of skill points you get on any given level. HOWEVER, if a skill is a class skill, then the first time you put in a rank you get a +3 bonus for that skill. Easy! That encourages spreading your skills around your class skills, but doesn't discourage you from developing other skills.

Classes: There is an encouragement to stick with your base class. Every level you get 1 hp or 1 skill point you can put in your class, and you can change it each level. A level 3 fighter could have 2 extra skill points and 1 extra hp. If you multi class you no longer get an xp penalty, but you don't get that hp or skill bonus.

Classes also have no dead levels and more abilities to differentiate characters within a class. For example, a fighter now gets "Weapon Training" where you get to pick a weapon category and you get a plus to hit and damage.

As you level you eventually add more categories and your earlier choices go up in their bonus. You could have a fighter that does more with swords and a different fighter that does more with flails. Variety! Now level dipping has a bigger cost, but it is still encouraged.

Sorcerers get bloodlines, wizards get bonuses depending on what school they specialize in. Et Cetera. All these powers get more abilities as you level, so now you think long and hard about multi-classing.

Spells: Spells like polymorph schools gets a much needed work over.

The Advanced Players Guide came after the Core. The APG is by far the best rule book for any system I have seen. It is a MUST. It does so much so smartly.

Besides adding more base classes, prestige classes, spells, et cetera, the APG introduces archetypes. An archetype is an in-class specialization that swaps abilities applied to base classes to add different abilities while maintaining that class.

Here is an example. If you are rogue that wants to snipe and not be a trap finder, you can be the Scout Archtype. It replaces Trap Finding and Trap Sense with other abilities:

quote: Accuracy (Ex): At 1st level, a sniper halves all range increment penalties when making ranged attacks with a bow or crossbow. This ability replaces trapfinding.

Deadly Range (Ex): At 3rd level, a sniper increases the range at which she can apply her sneak attack damage by 10 feet. This range increases by 10 feet for every 3 levels after 3rd. This ability replaces trap sense.

No more level dipping if you want that one ability to differentiate your character.

The next two books are the Ultimate Magic and Ultimate Combat. They add new base classes, new archetypes, and some varient rules if you want them, like gladiator duels. But for the most part they are very optional.

So to sum up...the game is simpler and more balanced, but not dumbed down. There is more variety within a class. There are archetypes to further add variety and flavor, and there are still prestige classes. Characters feel more epic (oh yeah, you get a feat every odd level).

It is just better in so many ways. Seriously, take a look at the classes in the Core and compare them to 3.5, then take a look at the archetypes in the APG.

I will do 3.5, but I cannot recommend Pathfinder strong enough. Better system while feeling the same, more variety and fun, better support, and a larger community.

posted January 16, 201401:07 AM
I have a preference for 3.5, as there's way more spell and feat selections. As well as options for additional survivability as a conjuror if I go that route.
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posted January 16, 201403:05 PM
Sure, no problem. I'm at work right now, but I'll try to get it set up tonight. Are you going to open this up to sakefolk as well, if any of them are interested in submitting a character to you?
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posted January 16, 201404:05 PM
Jake, thanks a lot for the help! The dm of the Noema campaign at sake is going to playing too. With him and the interest here, I think we have enough players to get started without opening it up to the masses at sake. I think about 5 players is optimum. More then that it could get really chaotic. If things don't pan out with the hat rack crew, sake would be a great resource. Is there anyone in particular you want in the game Jake?
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posted January 16, 201404:30 PM
Sake is basically the Isles of the Blessed, where you go when your time at Hatrack has worn you too thin. You will indeed need a separate username and password. Also, there is cake.
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posted January 16, 201405:30 PM
I heard one of the old timers say he'd been to Sake River once. Every thread together created a sort of comprehensive filing system where each post belonged. Ranting in the ranting thread, laughter in hilarious thread.

Before he'd left he'd encountered the mythical Hatrack Gossip Thread, within the thread were all the comings and goings of Hatrack as commented on by the Sakeites.

quote:Originally posted by BlackBlade: That's just ridiculous. Everybody knows Sake is just a Japanese word for wine, hence Sake River is an allusion to Yuen Siu-na's "Wine River" a Qing dynasty drama popular in Hong Kong presently.

posted January 16, 201406:11 PM
But seriously, sakeriver is a forum on a site that was created by a onetime member of Hatrack, who went by saxon75. The name of the site is a translation of his last name--the "river" commonality between Hatrack and sake is a coincidence.

Virtually all of the members there were once active at Hatrack, but fairly few of them are these days.

ElJay, KarlEd and I moderate the forum. You'll need to create an account to participate, and be logged in to see some of the gaming forums that exist over there. You're more than welcome to participate in the larger community over there if you're so inclined.
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posted January 16, 201407:02 PM
I once thought maybe I'd need to be invited. One day I got brave and just crashed the party. Everyone was nice. Nobody has come right out and said I ruined it, or anything.
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posted January 16, 201408:36 PM
The sake forum is up. It's called Tales of Gandor. Any who are interested please say hello over there. I will have a little bit up tonight.
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